5.5 week old still eating every 2-3 hours, anyone else? please help!
Ladies, I need help here. So far, I've EBF, but I really don't think I can continue with it. DD is eating every 2-3 hours around the clock. If it were just during the day and she was going longer stretches at night I could probably manage, but it's 24/7.
It can't be a growth spurt because it's been like this for 3+ weeks now (She was actually going up to 4 hours at night for the first week or two). She's 10.5 lbs, 85th percentile for height and weight, so clearly she's getting enough to eat. Even the 1-2 "relief" bottles per day aren't really relief because I still need to pump...
Bottom line is, I'm completely exhausted and can't continue this schedule any more. What do I do?? We tried adding a little formula a couple of times with the idea of eventually adding a few formula bottles each day, but it didn't sit well with her. Do we keep trying? Try a different type of formula? I need help because I'm about to throw in the towel on BFing completely and I don't want to do that... TIA
DD february 2010 | DS october 2011
*please excuse my typos, bumping from my iphone*
Re: 5.5 week old still eating every 2-3 hours, anyone else? please help!
DD february 2010 | DS october 2011
*please excuse my typos, bumping from my iphone*
At 5.5 weeks, that's a very normal eating schedule. I know it's hard- we went through a stretch where N would eat every 2-3 hours and it was exhausting- but it will pass.
In the meantime, there are formulas that are made for overnights to help your LO sleep longer. Sorry I can't give you a specific name- I'm BFing and we don't use formula. But it might be worth looking into for a few hours of sleep. GL!
The 6 week growth spurt is brutal. Once my LO went through that she started sleeping longer during the day which really helped my sanity. However that being said, it is normal for an infant under 2 months to eat every 2-3 hours.
Uh, it's totally normal for your one month old to be eating that often.
Maybe call in some reinforcements and pump so someone else can feed her a bottle and you can get some sleep?
Hang in there. I wouldn't give up on BF just yet if you can hang in there.
My LO is 2 months old and still feeds every 2.5 - 3 hours 24/ 7. She's 10 lbs 14 oz. Last night she slept 5 hours but that was a 1st. Good luck and hang in there. BTW I EBF.
BFP #2~5/25/09, DD born 1/27/10
BFP #3~2/13/12, EDD~10/24/12, MC at 12w6d, D&C - We love you baby Addison
we're almost 6 weeks and there have only been a couple nights he's gone more than 3 hours between feedings. It's completely normal. I've surprisingly gotten pretty used to sleeping in 2 hour increments.
ETA: we don't do bottles because I don't see the use when I have to get up and pump anyway. Nothing to say it will get better if you FF
I don't have an advice about when it's going to end, but I just wanted to offer some support because I am right there with you. I also EBF. Every two hours. all day and night for the last week, after a few nights of 4-5 hour sleep. sigh. Hang in there! Just remember all the awesome benefits to our LOs that we are providing through BF, that's pretty much all thats keeping me going at this point. Hopefully they will chill a bit after 6 weeks! GL!
ETA: Not sure whats up with my ticker, DD is 5 weeks and 4 days old.
click the pic (blog)
This may seem silly, but bear with me because I made this mistake last week. But are you letting him nurse until he is completely done?
I was limiting DS to 15 minutes a side originally (dr said to do so to make sure he wasn't just turning me into a human paci). DS was super gassy, so I switched to offering him one side only and letting him drain it (to make sure he wasn't living off of fore milk only). But I was impatient and probably cut him short too often. Nursing wasn't easy and sometimes bad latches made me so sore! DS was feeding every 1 1/2-2 hours 24/7. I was going crazy and was in tears about to quit.
Then I got the genius idea to offer him the 2nd side and not limiting him on time. We now go 3-4 hours a night and 2-4 during the day (depending on whether he is tanking up for pm or not. It makes all the difference in the world.
You might have already have considered this, but I thought I'd put the thought out there...
Also, I've made the personal decision to supplement any "extra" demanded feedings (like for growth spurts) with formula. If I don't think it'll effect my supply, I consider giving myself a break and use the bottle instead. It's not for everyone, but if it keeps me nursing longer by having breaks here and there, it's worth it for me!
I have read several articles that say that this formula (Enfamil Restful) can actually increase the risk of SIDS because it can make LO sleep too deeply. Plus it is basically just formula with rice starch added (rice cereal) which fills up LOs tummy where BM that they need to grow should be. Also moms on here that put cereal in their bottles because of acid reflux pretty much all say that it doesn't make LO sleep longer. IMO I would stay FAR away from this stuff.
This!